


This war is not on flesh and bone (this war wages in us)

by Singasongandneverstop



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Ignoring most of the actual AOS canon, Post season 2a AU, Post-Infinity War, Pre-endgame
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-04-28
Packaged: 2020-01-15 21:33:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18507508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Singasongandneverstop/pseuds/Singasongandneverstop
Summary: Season 2a and post-Infinity War AU. Grant was transported up North, and was in custody when the snap happened. Now he's effectively running the SHIELD base, working With what's left of the People there to keep the civilian towns in the area safe. One day, they spot a convoy coming, and along With that comes someone Grant thought he'd never see again.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Not sure yet if this will be just a one-shot or longer.

It’s been cold for some time now. Grant’s been staying at the base up north for some time. He was transferred there as a prisoner at first, but then the snap happened, and the place lost most of its personnel. After that, he’d somehow managed to talk himself out of confinement, and now he is a free man.  
In the small room Grant occupies, he’s been counting the days since the snap. By the 220th day, he’s not sure if they will be able to restore order to the area. That’s until one of the guards step into the assembly. “Sir, we’ve spotted a convoy in the valley. They’re on their way up here.”  
Grant nods, albeit briefly. “Were they in marked vehicles?” The man shakes his head. “No, sir. We ran a search on the plates, but nothing came up.” Grants nods again. “Let them in when they come, but keep your weapons on them unless I say so, yeah?” The young man nods and exits the assembly. Grant goes to the tower to get a closer look, and sees the convoy making its way towards the base. “Could be civilians, Sir.” One says. “I guess we’ll have to wait and see,” Is Grant’s reply.  
He’s standing outside as the convoy is let into the base, and watches as those in the vehicles are told to step out with their hands on their heads. But in the corner of his eye, he sees a familiar face and for a moment, his heart stop beating. He sees her step out of the armoured car, and his breath hitches for a moment. She’s still as proud as when he last saw her at the Playground, but he can feel a sense of loss surrounding her. “Skye?”  
_______________  
Skye’s head jolts when she hears that voice. She hasn’t heard it in years, and quite frankly, she had believed him to be long dead. But now he’s standing almost right in front of her, looking as if he’s seeing a ghost. “Ward…” She wants to sound confident, but she’s so tired. Tired of everything. They’ve lost so many on the journey north, and Skye has lost count on how many she’s had to comfort while in their last hour.  
When he tells the guards to lower their weapons, she smiles weakly with gratitude. Out of all the people she’d expected to see, he was not on her list. But now he’s standing there and looking at her like she’s from another planet. Without even thinking, she rushes to him and throw her arms around him, just clinging to him. Had the world been what it was before the snap, she knows she wouldn’t be doing this, but he is the most familiar face she’s seen in what feels like a lifetime.  
______________  
The last thing Grant had expected Skye to do after all these years, was to hug him. But when she rushes to him and throws her arms around him, he pulls her close and buries his face in her neck. It’s odd, even to him, but after all these years she is still what he’d consider home. They let go after a few moments, and it almost hurts to have to do so.  
When Skye looks at him again, he swallows. “How many people do you have with you?” She swallows for a moment. “Fifty, tops. Some need medical attention.” People are getting out of the cars and he nods, addressing the soldier from before. “Take everyone to medical. I want a full check-up on every single person.” He looks to Skye. “That means you too.” She nods again and turns to leave with them, when he takes her arm. “Skye… We need to talk afterwards, if you’re feeling up to it.”  
__________________  
Skye looks up. She hasn’t quite been able to take everything in yet, least of all the fact that Ward is here, and that he’s actually in control of this place. “Yeah,” She says, “Yeah, I suppose we do.”


	2. The one where Grant Ward cracks a joke which makes Skye laugh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skye and Ward sit down to have that talk.

Skye blinks when the doctor shines the light into her eye.“ Pupil reflexes seem good.” She writes it down on a pad. “How's your heart? Mind if I take a listen?” Skye swallows. “Yeah, sure.” The doctor takes out the stethoscope, and Skye takes off her shirt.

There is a palpable silence as she listens to Skye's heartbeat, and Skye herself tries not to panic. Finally, the doctor, (Skye notes her surname is Harrison from the tag on her jacket), puts away the stethoscope. “I'm going to have to do an ECG on you. Using the stethoscope is proving inconclusive.” Skye nods, and lays down on the bench, as Dr. Harrison fastens electrodes to her chest. She starts the machine, and Skye just lays completely still.

A while later, Dr. Harrison is watching the transcript. “Your rythm is off, and you have 350 beats per minute. Are you one of the inhumans?” Her voice is neutral, but Skye's on edge. “Why do you ask?” Harrison raises an eyebrow. “ Because I need to know if you're going to destroy this base by accident.” Skye glares. “I am fully capable of controlling my powers, thanks a lot.” She grabs her shirt and leave.  
_______________

Grant is looking over the day's latest intel when he sees Skye in the corner of his eye. “Skye?” He hesitates when she stops, but takes a deep breath. “What did Dr. Harrison say?” He sees her smile weakly. “Clean bill of health. But we need to talk.” He nods.

They sit in his ‘office’, and Grant can't help the slight pang of pride when he sees how Skye immediately scans the room. However, it worries him at the same time. “ Taught you well.” He sees how she rolls her eyes, but there is a shadow of a smile on her face. “Drink?” He fills two glasses with the whisky that's left, and hands one glass to her. Something seems to be on her mind.

They chitchat back and forth, and Grant keeps an eye on Skye. She seems to relax, if only a little. When she asks how he came to practically run the place, he explains. “Colonel McGarthy died along with most of the personnel in the snap. I was lucky enough to be spared, but there was a while where I had no idea what was going on. Then, Doc Harrison and Andrews found me down in the cells. Apparently, they'd lost all contact with HQ. Comms were in complete shambles. And me being the decent human being I am-” Here, Skye choked on her drink, “Hey! I decided to do give them a hand. Plan was to leave after a few weeks, but those weeks turned into four years.”  
_______________

Skye laughs for a moment. “ I thought we established back at the Playground that you are anything but a decent man, Ward.” When he grins, she relaxes. “Don't tell me the T-1000 learned to crack jokes. Judgement Day really happened then.”

She sees Ward grin. “ The cold must have destroyed my circuits.” She takes another sip of her whisky, and smiles weakly. “You said we needed to talk.” Ward nods. “It's been a while since we last saw one another, and I've done a lot of thinking.” Skye swallows.

“What I did to you, to the team, was beyond cruel. I should never have trusted Garret as blindly as I did, but I felt at the time, that I didn't have a choice.” She raises an eyebrow. “Perhaps you did, perhaps you didn't. But I agree with what you say. What you did to m- to the team was absolutely beyond cruel.We all trusted you, and you threw it away like it didn't matter at all. It crushed all of us, especially Fitz.” She sees how Ward's face falls for a moment.

“As for myself, I spent a lot of time trying to figure out if I wanted you dead or not.” She swallows. “But I've seen the work you've put in here. And the personnel seems to trust you. So, I propose we start over. You try not to betray me or anyone else, I'll try not to kick your ass.”  
She sees how Ward contemplates it for a moment, then he raises his glass in something of a toast.  
“Deal.”


	3. When the walls come falling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grant finds out about Skye's Secret, and Things are starting to heat up a bit in the cold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is a bit of a filler Chapter. I went to see Endgame a few days ago, and because many still hasn't seen it, I'm not comfortable to involve spoilers from the Movie just yet.

A few weeks later, life at the base goes on in its normal routine. Most of the people Skye came with, are now working there, and Grant can’t help but be grateful for the many extra pairs of hands. He’s working on training them all, along with Skye, Dr. Harrison and the rest of the SHIELD-agents. He observes them as they train. Harrison is observing along with him. “They’re improving.” Grant nods. “They are, but they’re not ready for combat yet. We have the established perimeter around the towns to patrol, but who knows what’s beyond that?”  
Harrison seems deep in thought. “Maybe your friend Skye could be of some help?” When Grant raises an eyebrow, she continues: “When I did the medical evaluation, I checked her heartbeat, which happened to be at 250 beats per minute. A rhythm like that, is not supposed to be humanly possible, but I’ve studied several cases where Inhumans-“ Grant holds up a hand to stop her. “Hold on. You’re saying that Skye’s an inhuman?” Harrison nods. “She wouldn’t tell me what kind of powers she’s got, but all physical signs point in the direction.” Grant muses for a moment. “Okay, I’ll have a word with her. Thanks for telling me.” Harrison puts her hand on his for a moment, and Grant takes it, squeezing it gently. They don’t know that Skye’s seen it, and turns away.  
_________________________________________________  
For some reason, Skye can feel the green-eyed monster rear its ugly head when she spots Ward and the Doc holding hands. She turns away and observes the recruits. “You’re doing good, but you’re holding back. Would you hold back if you were in the middle of a life or death fight?” One of the recruits hesitates, then speaks up. “Agent Johnson, I don’t think-“ Skye stops him with a look. “You don’t think what? I can assure you that even though you think you might not need this right now, you have no idea what’s lurking outside these walls and should you end up in a fight, you’re going to be glad you now know how to defend yourself.”  
The young man swallows, and Skye sees a flash of fear in his eyes, the same fear she felt when she first ended up in SHIELD’s clutches. “Just trust your instincts.” She nods, and leaves them with the rest of the group and the other instructors. Once she’s alone, she closes her eyes. This place is getting on her nerves already. Or is it the thought of Ward being in such close proximity after she’s spent so many years believing him to be long gone?   
She goes for a glass of water, and once the tap’s opened, she sees how the water distorts under her touch. She can’t help but smile, but her smile fades once she hears Ward’s voice in the hall. She stops the water, and quietly makes her way to the door. For a moment, it’s really tempting to open the door and try to scare him, but she knows Ward to be not easily scared. Instead, she opens the door a smidge, and sees him talking to Dr. Harrison, and the two seems… close.  
________________________________________________  
Grant’s holding Harrison’s hand in his, and he kisses it gently. She smiles weakly. “You never usually do that,” She says. “What’s on your mind?” Grant chuckles for a moment. “Just glad you’re still around.” She smiles genuinely at that. “Goodness, are you thawing already? And here I thought the decimation was supposed to be a positive thing for the environment!” Grant laughs, genuinely, and it’s a sound most welcome to her.  
“Hanna.” She sees Ward stop. “My full name’s Hanna Harrison. My father had a penchant for alliteration.” She rolled her eyes. “Not that it really matters now.”

Grant smiles. “Hello then, Hanna. I’m Grant.” He takes her hand in his, and they walk towards his room. Before he opens the door, she kisses him, and while he’s taken somewhat aback by it, Grant finds that he enjoys it. It’s been too long since he’s felt the touch of someone, and he kisses her back, deepening the kiss before breaking apart. “Come here.” He takes Hanna’s hand in his, and the door closes behind them, unaware that Skye’s seen it all.


End file.
